Feminism in The Yellow Wallpaper Essay

Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Yellow Wallpaper

Charlotte Perkins Gilman is the author of the short story The Yellow Wallpaper. In this story Mrs. Gilman is describing her perspective of recessive feminism, coupled with oppression, during the 19th Century. The setting for this story is a summer rental a Colonial Mansion. The occupants are the narrator, her husband, John, who is also her doctor, and his sister Jennie. This story describes the actions of four characters close to the narrator, and a plot taking her from depression to insanity, and the irony of this story is that the yellow wallpaper drives the narrator to insanity.

The Narrators husband, John, is a practical physician who does not think she is sick at all. If anything, she might have a case of temporary nervous depression. The doctor prescribes medication, tonics, exercise, air, and absolutely no work until she is better. The narrators brother, who is also a doctor, concurs with Johns diagnosis and prescribed treatment. Personally, I disagree with their ideas. Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good. But what is one to do? (Charlotte Perkins Gilman: The Yellow Wallpaper Line 18) John has prescribed the rest cure for her. She is to do no physical activity, no socializing, nor writing; she is just to rest and take in the air. During the day John goes to town and sees patients, leaving his sister, Jennie, to take care of her and the baby.

Temporary nervous depression is her husbands only diagnosis. When she came to the mansion she had nervous tendencies and bouts of anger towards John, who never seemed concerned about her condition. He would dismiss her thoughts and laugh at her when she would try to talk to him. As time elapsed, her symptoms seemed to grow worse; being locked in that room for so long was taking its toll on her sanity. John stated if I dont pick up faster he shall send me to Weir Mitchell in the fall. (Charlotte Perkins Gilman. (n.d.). College of Staten Island Library. pg 4 line 13) The narrator would not want to be treated by him due to she has heard many frightening stories about Mr. Mitchell. She started hallucinating, imaged people in the wallpaper, and began feeling exhausted. She would rarely sleep at night, finding herself sleeping during the day while John was away. Although she was having these experiences she would never tell John. Eventually she went from having a temporary nervous disorder to complete insanity.

The Yellow Wallpaper in the room where the Narrator spends her time is dreadful. The floors were scratched up, and gouged, and splintered; the plaster was also in deplorable condition. A heavy bed looked worn out and was nailed to the floor. No wonder the children hated it! I should hate it myself if I had to live in this room long. (Charlotte Perkins Gilman College of Staten Island Library. pg 2 line 41) The wallpaper in the room was in patches all around the room. It was dull; the color is revolting an unclean yellow. Although, the longer she stayed locked in this room the more she liked the wallpaper. She begins to truly believe there is a woman behind the wallpaper. The wallpaper continued to haunt her as if it was taunting her. By now she did not want to leave the room; hallucinations of people creeping on the ground has her a little afraid. At the end of the story the Narrator started creeping around the floor with her shoulder against the wall. John was trying to get in the locked door but she had thrown the key out of the window. After John broke down the door, he saw her creeping around the floor like someone who had completely gone out of their mind. He fainted and she kept creeping over him every time.

This short story The Yellow Wallpaper describes the actions of a doctor, a case of temporary nervous depression, and a room with yellow wallpaper that after three months took its toll on the Narrator. The doctor was gone all day and some evening, leaving her there all alone. She began hallucinating about a woman behind the wallpaper. Trying to save the woman every evening, once the sun went down, exhausted her mentally and physically. The last day of stripping the wallpaper, and at the lack of sleep, resulted in her totally losing her mind. The author leaves it up to the reader to decide what happened to them. By the end of the story you can see that in the 19th century a woman is to do what the man says, have children.